The Express- October 2017

THE

EXPRESS 25 years

FOMO With the growing prevalence of social media comes an increase in students affected

by FOMO.

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Volume 25 • issue 2 • Blue Valley Northwest High school

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

CONTENTS 04 06

We got spirit

08 10 12 14

Leading the pack

An Advancement in education

Rachel’s forte Fantasy Fascination Perspectives

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • october 2017

Cover: Senior Zach Taylor glances at his phone with an overlay of social media icons. Social media can contribute to a high school student’s fear of missing out. (Photo illustration by Gavin Mullin and Kaitlyn Noon).

Top Left: Part of Lush’s Halloween collection, the Monsters’ Ball bath bomb creates mysterious, dark purple water and leaves a fruity smell on the skin. (Photo by Ellen Bruce).

Bottom Left: As a part of her career-based independent study, senior Rachel Sallman conducts the freshmen girls Concert Choir during seventh hour. (Photo by Gavin Mullin).

Bottom Right: During the varsity volleyball game Oct. 16, senior Garrett Parks cheers on the Huskies. “My favorite part about going to games is the hype,” Parks said. (Photo by Madi Allen).

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Bubble Fomo bubble, toil and trouble Bubble bubble, toil and trouble Life styled opinion

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • october 2017

A group of seniors interested in starting a yell-leading program hope to work alongside spirit leaders and cheerleaders to increase school pride at athletic events.

we got spirit C

heerleading at Northwest, with the exception of the first years when the school opened, has been a girls-only sport. However, this could soon change due to senior Cooper Bredehoeft. Bredehoeft is currently working to restart the yell-leading program, with cheerleading coach Megan Geenens as the sponsor.

“What inspired me to start a yell leading program was when I

by ellie druten

was talking to Geenens about the potential to have one,” Bredehoeft said. “At first it didn’t seem very realistic but the more we talked and the more guys I started to recruit, the more I wanted to do it.”

If everything goes as planned, Bredehoeft will have tryouts after Thanksgiving break. He said it will become more of a reality once he gets enough boys interested. Since it is a new program, the potential members

are not required to know how to stunt, meaning they do not have to know how to support a flyer.

“You don’t have to stunt to be on the yell team, but we want people who will be able to stunt by themselves eventually,” Bredehoeft said. “But we can’t make that a requirement because not many people know how to do that…you really just have to have a lot of school spirit and want to do it seriously.”

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2• october 2017 For the yell-leading program, Bredehoeft plans on attending cheerleading practice with the girls after school twice a week. Although nothing is official, he plans on having the team wear a uniform and carry megaphones at the basketball games.

Geenens will have the yell-leaders be a part of the cheer team, so they will cheer and stunt at games. The yellleading team will also be part of the Sweetheart Assembly routine.

“If it does go successfully and is a lot of fun and people do enjoy it, then I will for sure look at recruiting people who will be able to lead it next year,” Bredehoeft said. “It would be really cool if I could come back in a few years and it is actually a legitimate thing; if that happens every year that would be pretty awesome.”

One of Bredehoeft’s main goals is to increase school spirit, which is also a goal for the spirit leaders.

Geenens said the spirit leaders are in charge of picking the theme and deciding what cheers to yell and when.

“I do [think it helps to assign spirit leaders] because we are able to sit down with them all and have a conversation,” Geenens said.

At their meeting, Geenens and the spirit leaders discussed what they need to be doing during games, holding them more accountable for

yelling appropriate chants.

Senior Sam Hartman is one of the 15 senior spirit leaders. Hartman said one of their main goals is to include underclassman and get them more involved. Geenens agreed that they need to work on getting all of the classes involved, not just the seniors.

“One time I went up and sat with the freshmen, and was obnoxiously loud with them and got them all fired up.”

- Zac Oakes Hartman said since the underclassmen sit higher up on the bleachers at games, the spirit leaders struggle with including them in the chants.

Senior Zac Oakes tries to get the underclassmen, especially freshmen, involved.

“If I am not involved in leading chants then I yell obnoxiously loud,” Oakes said. “One time I went up and sat with the freshmen, and was obnoxiously loud with them and got them all fired up.”

Oakes is also interested in becoming a yell-leader. He is very involved at games and hopes he can transition that to yell-leading.

Left: Senior Zac Oakes cheers on the varsity volleyball team during their Senior Night match Oct. 16. “My favorite part about going to games is I just want to win. Anyway I can help us win, I will,” Oakes said. (Photos by Madi Allen).

Right: During the varsity volleyball team’s Senior Night, senior Cooper Bredehoeft puts his ‘Skies up. “My favorite things about going to games is I like to show my spirit and support for our school,” Bredehoeft said.

According to Oakes, the yellleaders should fire up the crowd, as well as keep up the intensity of the game at all times, whether the teams are winning or losing. Bredehoeft also hopes people enjoy yell-leading and said it is a way to get more students involved in school spirit.

Bredehoeft’s short-term goals for the program include having around five guys try out and seeing the end result. Long term, Bredehoeft said he hopes this program continues even after he graduates.

Oakes said school spirit is very important and a big part of Northwest culture.

“I love the intensity of some of those games,” Oakes said. “I hope we can continue the intensity throughout the winter and spring.”

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • OCTOBER 2017

ADVANCEMENT in education

Senior Gage Hudnall attends the Olathe Advanced Technical Center to be eligible to receive college credit and gain life skills for future careers.

D

ue to his love of cars and hands-on work opportunities, senior Gage Hudnall enrolled in the Automotive Collision Technology department at the Olathe Advanced Technical Center.

“They actually teach you how to work on [cars],” Hudnall said. “I decided to try it out, and I love it so far and it’s a lot of fun.”

This is Hudnall’s first year in the program, where he works in the Auto Collision Technology department doing paint jobs and touch-ups. Hudnall works with auto-tech, using top-of-the-line equipment, like computers and car engines, for free.

In the beginning of class at OATC, Hudnall said the teacher discusses the material in the textbook for around 20 minutes. Next, the class moves on to the workshop,

where lately they have been doing projects such as practicing their sanding and painting skills on bowling pins.

“iT’S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT KIND OF learning BECAUSE YOU ARE LEARNING HOW TO WORK ON A VEHICLE.” - Gage hudnall Because of its non-traditional class setting, Hudnall said OATC offers many post-college opportunities.

“They have a lot more equipment and it’s a totally different kind of learning because you are learning how to work on a vehicle,” Hudnall said.

The principal of OATC, Amy

by Olivia Dowell

Stolz, said the purpose of the program is to provide education about college majors to students from a variety of high schools. She said OATC offers health careers along with Automotive Technology, Automotive Collision Technology, Construction Trades and Culinary Arts programs.

“We really focus on leadership and bringing out the leader in every single student and so there are a lot of wide-variety of leadership opportunities to participate in classrooms, buildings, and the district,” Stolz said.

By introducing him to new opportunities, Hudnall said OATC made him think about life after high school.

“It has made me open my mind up to actually being in auto-tech and made me think of maybe

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • OCTOBER 2017

Left: Senior Gage Hudnall shows his Auto Collision instructor, Ian Higgs, an old, painted bowling pin. The bowling pins were used to teach the students how to sand and paint before they could sand or paint a car.

Right: Hudnall, an Auto Collision student at OATC, wipes down his painted bowling pin with a rag.

“We were wet sanding them so we could apply another color of paint to our design,” Hudnall said. (Photos by Dan Edmonds).

taking classes at junior college,” Hudnall said. “[My teacher] actually took us to JuCo to show us the classes we could take.”

Stolz said many opportunities are available for completing an OATC program. In addition to these opportunities, she said each OATC program includes aspects of science, technology, engineering and math.

“They’re earning high school credit and are also earning college credit because that is offered with most courses and then working on the certification and working toward completing a certification exam,” Stolz said.

At OATC, Hudnall has benefited from the enjoyment of completing a program that will help with college and gives easy access to car equipment.

“You get a certification at the

end of it that’s actually worth something in life,” Hudnall said.

“You get it for free instead of having to pay for it because you are going through the school.”

Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction Tyler Alexander said the OATC programs will not be available to most Blue Valley students beginning next year. However, a junior currently enrolled may continue the program during his or her senior year.

“The partnership that we had with the Olathe School District is phasing out,” Alexander said.

“There’s a lot of demand in the Olathe programs, so since it’s their program they had to look at who was taking those [spots].”

Hudnall said he feels OATC prepares students for college by having a setting similar to a college’s classroom.

“It prepares you for college because you are really learning hands on and in college you are going to do a lot of hands on work as well as school work,” Hudnall said. “It gives you the hands-on perspective and it teaches you leadership.”

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • october 2017

Leading the pack

As a freshman, Riley Beach is the best girls cross country runner in the Eastern Kansas League and Region. For more information and to see highlights of Beach, go to BVNWNews.com.

BY BEn BROWN

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hen the race starts, she makes sure to keep her pace and breathe rhythmically. She then zeroes in on the group of runners to pace with, picks someone to run with and makes sure she finishes before them. With the finish line in sight, she exerts all her energy to get there, often placing ahead of other varsity runners older than her. This is freshman Riley Beach’s mentality when running, the same mentality she used when setting her personal record at Regionals on Oct. 21.

One week after placing first in the Eastern Kansas League championships at Johnson County Community College on Oct. 12, Beach ran a time of 18:28.4, which won her Regionals and broke the all-time BVNW girls cross country record, a record which had stood since 1997.

Before winning Regionals, Beach said she hoped winning EKL would be a stepping stone to bigger things.

“I’m hoping that I can just continue to keep up that kind of reputation and that college coaches can start to notice me from a younger age,” Beach said.

To start her competitive career, Beach joined a cross country club called the Brocaw Blazers in seventh grade. In 2015, her first year of competitive running, Beach went on to qualify for the Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships with the Blazers.

Beach said running in nationals helped instill confidence in her.

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Beach’s personal record

Left: In all of freshman Riley Beach’s first six varsity meets, she placed in the top five, including three first place finishes. Her personal record for a five-kilometer race is 18:28.4, which won her the Regional championship and set the all-time BVNW girls cross country record. (Photo illustration by Kaitlyn Noon and Jack Plank).

18:28.4

Right: Going into the third mile at the EKL championships, Beach battles for the lead on Oct. 12 at Johnson County Community College. (Photo by Jack Plank).

“I think that making nationals for my first year was just a good experience that led me into it, and helped confirm to myself that I could continue to do this and be successful,” Beach said.

Beach continues to run with the Brocaw Blazers and said she plans on running with them throughout high school during the cross country offseason. However, during the fall season she takes her talents to the varsity cross country team at BVNW. When fellow cross country runner, junior Katie Henry, first met Beach, she was shocked by Beach’s running ability and work ethic.

“When I met her I could tell she was going to be fast,” Henry said. “I just knew I saw that spark in her.”

With the help of additional practice, Beach said the combination of competitive cross country running and practice at BVNW aided her this season.

In her first race as a Husky, Beach finished fourth out of all varsity girls with a time of 19:33 in a five kilometer race at RaymorePeculiar. Since varsity is comprised of runners in different grades, Beach said running alongside upperclassmen has been a unique experience.

“It’s really cool just because I get to meet a lot of upperclassmen through [cross country],” Beach said.

Cross country assistant coach, Elizabeth Long, said although she is just a freshman, Beach is the top girl runner and has been a crucial part of the team’s morale.

First at regionals Oct. 21

“To have a teammate like Riley in cross country is extremely important because cross country is a very mental sport, and if you don’t have the positivity she brings, it’s going to bring the whole team down,” Long said.

Despite their age difference, Henry said Beach shares her cross country wisdom with the upperclassmen which ultimately benefits everyone involved.

Not only has Beach helped the team, but the team has also helped Beach. She said being a part of the team has benefited her because of the relationships she formed.

“It’s not the running that I necessarily enjoy,” Beach said.

“It’s the team bonding, and having a group of people that you can physically bond over the pain with.”

After running for Oklahoma State University, Long said Beach has the potential to run at a higher level as long as she continues to take time off.

“She is a great girl and a great athlete, and doesn’t like to take rest days,” Long said.

For the time being, Beach said her goal is to place at state at some point in her high school career.

Ultimately, Beach said cross country is something that has grown on her in recent years.

“I would say two years ago [cross country] would have been [my] third [favorite sport],” Beach said, “but as I’ve continued on through the years, I would say it’s one of my number one priorities now.”

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 •October 2017

Rachel’s

forte

By Ethan Knauth

T

ransitioning into a new role, senior Rachel Sallman now conducts the freshman girls concert choir, a choir she was previously a part of.

Every year, a senior in choir is selected to conduct an independent study. Choir teacher, Beth Richey-Sullivan wanted to carry on this long standing tradition. “[Rachel] approached me about [the independent study opportunity] last spring, and I could just tell she was really passionate about it,” RicheySullivan said. “It’s always been a tradition to have someone do it, and Rachel voiced that she’d like to be that person.”

Avery Feather, a member of the

Making strides in her music career, senior Rachel Sallman participates in an independent study where she conducts the freshman girls’ concert choir. freshman girls choir, was elated when she found out Sallman was going to help out with her class.

“When I found out she was going to be teaching, I was very excited because I knew she was a very talented individual,” Feather said.

In the independent study, Sallman said she helps the choir reach their potential by giving them tips in areas they can improve on and leading the class in their daily exercises.

Feather said the choir has been responsive to the creativity Sallman has brought to the table. “She handed out straws to sing out of, which helped us focus on our forward breathing, and I have been using that a lot,” said Feather.

Sallman’s passion for choir began in

the sixth grade. At BVNW she sings with Chorale and Chamber Singers, but this year she wanted to take the next step.

“It’s kind of been a long journey of just falling deeper and deeper in love with [choir],” Sallman said. “That’s when I started to decide that this was what I wanted to do with my life, and this is what I wanted to pursue... taking more and more choir classes and getting deeper into it.”

Transitioning into the role of teaching has been difficult at times for Sallman.

“It’s kind of outside my comfort zone and it has really pushed me,” Sallman said. “I am not just listening for what I can fix about myself or where I fit into the pair, I’m listening for what I can fix with

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

everyone.”

Richey-Sullivan said conducting consists of a great deal of listening and providing feedback to the students.

“You have an idea of what you want this music to sound like in your head, and the ensemble sings and you just listen,” Richey- Sullivan said.

“You think ‘Does this match what I had in my head?’”

Sallman sees the independent study as an opportunity to try out music education before she actually has to commit to it.

Richey-Sullivan said the experience could put Sallman a step ahead of her peers in college.

“A lot of students who want to become music teachers go to college and have never gotten a chance to stand in front of their peers and

conduct, especially in a concert setting, so it puts her definitely at an advantage,” Richey-Sullivan said.

Sallman appreciates the mentorship she has received at BVNW and wants to pass on the torch to her future students.

“I have loved my experience here in Blue Valley Northwest choir,” Sallman said.

“I really want to continue bringing that legacy of good high school music to other high school choirs, hopefully [giving] people that same experience I have had.”

To Feather, Sallman has been more than someone who just helps out with the choir.

“Not only is Rachel someone to look up to, but she’s also a great friend,” said Feather. “Everyone in the choir loves her.”

Top: Along with conducting, Sallman also uses her independent study to help choir members on an individual basis.

Bottom: Establishing a reference pitch, Sallman leads the choir warm-ups with accompanying piano scales and arpeggios.

(Photos by Gavin Mullin).

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

FAntAsy FAscinAtion

Students and teachers spend their free time participating in competitive fantasy football leagues.

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ith teachers and students alike participating in fantasy football leagues, it is clear America’s fantasy football craze has come to Northwest.

Fantasy football is a game now played online, with different leagues using different websites to compete against each other.

League members draft players from the National Football League to form a team and compete against friends.

Sophomore Creyton Hunt participates in a fantasy league with fellow sophomore Chase Becker. Becker and his friends decided to give fantasy football a shot because of their love for football and the influence of a popular Netflix show.

“I participate in fantasy football because I love the game,” Becker said. “There was the Netflix show called ‘The League,’ and it [was] about fantasy football. That’s what got us into it.”

While Hunt and Becker’s league was established more recently, social studies teacher Robert Meacham has played since he was in college.

“I was in a league in my fraternity that my fraternity brother started in the early ‘90s,” Meacham said. “We were doing it on legal pads.”

While Meacham no longer plays

in a league with his fraternity brothers, he now plays in a league with fellow teacher Patrick Swanson, which was established in 2002. On the other hand, Becker and Hunt’s league has only been going on for three years.

“I was in a league in my fraternity that my fraternity brother started in the early ‘90s. We were doing it on legal pads.”

-Robert meacham Despite the difference in league history, both leagues are point per reception, or PPR, which means every time a player makes a reception, that player gets a point in the fantasy league.

Each week, Becker and Hunt spend around an hour on their fantasy teams. However, Swanson and Meacham spend only 15 to 20 minutes on it.

Both leagues have entry fees which go to the season-long champion. According to Meacham, there are also payouts for weekly winners.

BY Jaelen Matthews

One difference about the leagues is how often they watch games together. Becker said his league meets up every Sunday at Buffalo Wild Wings. Meacham said his league only meets up a couple times a season.

“We are all getting older and we all have our own stuff to do,” Meacham said. “[Meeting up] used to be kind of a staple.”

Despite the leagues’ differences, Meacham and Hunt agree that fantasy football has made watching football more interesting.

“I participate in fantasy football because it makes watching football more enjoyable and entertaining,” Hunt said.

Although Meacham does not spend as much time on it as he used to, he still understands the fantasy football craze.

“I can see why so much is devoted to it, like on ESPN,” Meacham said. “It really is a good time to get you kind of more interested in the game.”

Swanson plays fantasy football, more to keep in touch with his friends, rather than watching the games.

“When you are an adult and you get caught up in what life is and how busy schedules are,” Swanson said. “It really becomes hard to stay connected with your friends and [fantasy football] is one way a group of guys can get together.”

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

History teacher Robert Meacham takes a quick look at his fantasy football roster.

Meacham competes in a league with fellow BVNW teacher Patrick Swanson.

(Photo by TJ Vore).

FAST FACTS ON FANTASY Meacham & swanson’s league

12 18 4 15

FACTS Teams Players on roster teams that make playoffs how many years the league has existed

Hunt & Becker’s League

8 16 4 3

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Perspectives 1.

2.

1. As the band waited to march in the Overland Park Parade on Sept. 23, freshman Annie Fischer helps a band member by holding her flute. “The band is such an accepting family, and you never have to be afraid of being too loud or crazy,” Fischer said. (Photo by Gavin Mullin).

2. Senior Grace Fugate paints during her fifth hour Painting I class. “It’s one hour every day where I don’t have to think about anything,” Fugate said. “I forget I am at school, I get to be by myself doing what I love.” (Photo by Madi Allen).

3. After making her putt during a golf tournament on Sept. 20 senior Bri Martin celebrates. “I play golf because I enjoy the game,” Martin said. “The most rewarding part is when you get better and keep your score down.” (Photo by Gavin Mullin).

3.

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4.

5.

4. As a member of the marching band, sophomore Mary Waxman marches the halls with her mellophone on Sept.

22. “Not only does the band get really into it, but so does the rest of the school,” Waxman said. “It’s always fun to see people jamming out while we play.” (Photo by Kanishka Mehra).

5. During Melanie Mikel’s sixth hour Photography I class Oct. 9, freshman Vivien O’Keefe observes her negatives over a light box. “I really like how you get to choose what you want to do with the photo,” O’Keefe said. “You have a lot of freedom to kind of do what you want, and that’s very interesting.” (Photo by Gavin Mullin).

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7.

7. During a volleyball game against Blue Valley North at BVN on Sept. 30, seniors Lauren Holder, Kenzie Clark and Anna Thomas cheer on the Huskies. (Photo by Gavin Mullin).

8. Junior Preston Miller uses tongs to move a boiling cylinder of water during a lab in Sarah Derks’ third hour Meteorology class. (Photo by Gavin Mullin).

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9.

9. As part of their exploration day Oct. 11, seniors Parth Daga and Shiv Patel came to school to paint posters for Relay Week. “Relay for Life is one of my favorite activities at school,” Daga said.

Patel added, “It’s a great event that helps a fantastic cause.” (Photo by Kanishka Mehra).

10. In her Painting I class with Chris LaValley, Junior Emily Moore paints a landscape of Bear Lake, Colo. in dark values. “My painting class helps me to decompress and take my mind off school,” Moore said. “Northwest has a great art program and community which makes our school unique.” (Photo by Kanishka Mehra).

10.

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • october 2017

Students often feel isolated when they see their peers together without them. (Photo illustration

by Gavin Mullin).

By Walker Johnson

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FOMO FOMO

Fear Of Missing Out

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n any Friday night, there are students sitting at home after the football game because their friends said they did not have anything planned. They scroll through their Instagram feed, and come across a picture of their friends at a party without them.

A survey by The Express found 73.7 percent of students questioned spend more than an hour a day on social media. With students’ social media feeds littered with picture after picture of their friends at parties, concerts and other activities, senior Zach Taylor said outlets such as Instagram and Snapchat have essentially become places for people to post about all the great things they do.

“That’s kind of like all social media is,” Taylor said. “It’s just bragging about what you’re doing. Even though it doesn’t seem that way and it’s just the thing that people do now, when you get to the bottom of it that’s what it is.”

School psychologist Monica Symes echoed Taylor’s thoughts that social media often only focuses on the positives in someone’s life.

“We only post our best selves on social media and so it creates this

THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • october 2017 falsity, almost, of how people are living,” Symes said.

While this false perception of someone on social media may not seem like a big issue, Symes said it can have adverse effects. These effects are known as the fear of missing out, or FOMO. “Let’s say that I’m a teenager and I’m scrolling through social media,” Symes said. “I might be struggling with depression. I might be struggling with an esteem issue or something more than that and I see that [false portrayal] over and over and over again and it continues to feed my brain that my life is just not as good.”

However, Symes said FOMO does not only affect those going through depression, it has the potential to upset anyone on social media.

The survey supported this as 53.8 percent of respondents described their feelings when missing out as “poor” or “awful.”

“All of us have esteem,” Symes said. “Esteem can be high and esteem can be low and it can vary upon the day. I know, as an adult, as I’m scrolling through Facebook and looking at what my friends are doing I’m kind of like, ‘Man my life is not as great as this person’s.’”

Taylor, who is involved in Student Government, National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society and is a Peep, agreed just about everyone has been affected

by FOMO at some point. One of the things he believes causes it the most is when people see pictures or videos posted on social media of other students at parties.

“On Snapchat, whenever people go out to a party there’s [posts of] them all singing and dancing,” Taylor said. “People who weren’t invited to the party or don’t go to parties could definitely feel like they’re missing out. Even if they don’t know that person they could be like, ‘Oh I wish I was doing something like that.’”

“That’s kind of like all social media is.

It’s just bragging about what you’re doing.”

- Zach Taylor FOMO can overwhelm students who have busy schedules or extracurricular activities like junior Caroline Diederich, who runs cross country and track.

“If I’m sitting at home on a Friday night because I have a race the next day, I see everyone’s going out and partying,” Diederich said. “Even if it’s people I don’t even know it’s just like, ‘OK [I] can’t do that so that sucks.’”

As a member of the Northwest Frolf Association, Ukulele Club and the baseball program, sophomore Jay Oakes said he has especially experienced FOMO with some of his close friends.

“I’m sitting at home and I tell my friends I’m doing nothing and I see on their [Snapchat] story that they’re hanging out and I didn’t

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Left: Oakes sends a Snapchat to his friends in order to keep his Snapchat streaks going. (Photos by Gavin Mullin).

Top left: Oakes explains what causes him to experience FOMO. Top right: Social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram have a large impact on FOMO because people can easily view what others are doing.

get invited for some reason,” Oakes said. “It makes me wonder what I did [wrong.]”

Although she said she has not experienced FOMO yet this year, freshman and cheerleader Hannah Walden said she and some of her close friends were getting left out by some of their other friends in middle school. She was not sure why they were being excluded.

“It made those of us who weren’t invited kind of mad and feel like they didn’t like us,” Walden said.

“We tried [to ask why,] but they didn’t really want to talk.”

Diederich said FOMO is almost unavoidable because social media makes it so accessible for students to see what they’re missing out on.

“It’s so easy to just post stuff and everyone just wants to post all the time,” Diederich said. “It’s posted

everywhere what’s going on and it’s just kind of thrown in people’s faces.”

One of the ways Taylor said people try to avoid FOMO is by responding to someone asking if they want to hang out with a “maybe,” instead of a definitive “yes” or “no,” so they can wait and make sure they will not miss out on something better. The survey showed 34.3 percent of respondents said they would reply to this sort of message with a non-definitive answer.

“Everyone has a reserve friend they [hang out with] if nothing else is going on,” Taylor said. “I definitely feel like people do that a lot; it’s not a very nice thing to do and I think I’ve done it before too.”

Symes said there are much better ways to curb FOMO. One of her

recommendations for students is to practice metacognition, which is being aware of what they are thinking.

“Continue to ask...the question, ‘Am I really missing out?’” Symes said. “‘What is happening in my own life?’ ‘If I feel like I’m missing out, why do I feel like I’m missing out?’

‘What can I do to help myself with those emotions?’”

In addition, Symes said she believed it is important for students to limit their time on social media and maintain a strong sense of self.

“I feel like, as a teenager, it’s really important to know that regardless of what you see on social media you are valued,” Symes said. “You are important and you are more than likely loved.”

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

ultimate numbers on FOMO

The Express surveyed 300 students from Oct. 12-16 about their fear of missing out.

How do you feel when being left out?

Do not care,146 Other, 146 Do not mind, 64

Poor, 49 Awful, 41

How long are you on social media?

How often do you invite only part of your friend group?

How often do you feel like you are missing out socially?

Never, 22 Rarely, 67 All the time, 22

Sometimes, 140 Often, 49

THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • OCTOBER 2017

Contact bvnwnewspaper@bluevalleyk12.org OR (913) 239-3544

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

bubble

, e l , bubb

toil & trouble

By Ryan Jones

Lush Cosmetics released seasonal products to celebrate Halloween. Editor Ryan Jones reviewed some of Lush’s new bath products and highlighted other releases in the Halloween collection.

Lord of m isrule bath bomb Not only did this bath bomb smell amazing, the show it put on was the highlight of the whole experience.

To use, Lush says to “fill [the] bathtub with warm water, drop in the bath bomb and lie back to enjoy its lovely color and gorgeous fragrance.” As I dropped Lord of Misrule into the water, deep reds and purples intertwined with lime greens and yellows to eventually reveal a blood red color. As the center of the bath bomb opened to

reveal its dark red center, popping candy began to sound all over the bath tub, enveloping me in calming effervescence. The smell was slightly peppery and Lush added patchouli oil to create a very calming fall smell. It lingered on my skin for almost the entire day and somebody even complimented me on how nice I smelled. The only negative of this bath bomb is it is only made for the fall season and instead should be made to use year-round.

Bewitched bubble bar Upon the initial smelling of this “unlucky”­bubble bar, I got intense notes of frankincense and berry. However, it was not too overpowering and quite nice to smell. Lush says this bubble bar will “conjure up a shroud of berry-scented bubbles and dark, mysterious waters,” which proved to be true. To use a bubble bar, Lush says to crumble it under running warm water in the tub of your choice. I chose to allow about four inches of water to fill my tub before crumbling up the bubble bar to allow it to dissolve in the water

and avoid staining the sides of the tub. As the Bewitched bubble bar dissolved into the water, frothy bubbles began to appear and the water transformed into a satin gray color that soon turned to dark gray.

I was slightly disappointed that the bath water did not turn completely pitch black, but this bubble bar redeemed itself by its wonderful smell and great bubbles. The berry and frankincense smell lingered on my skin for about six hours and relaxed me before the start of a busy week.

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

Top: The Monsters’ Ball Bath Bomb is full of lime and neroli oil and turns the water a dark lavender color with streams of blue and pink foam. The monster’s eye is the last to fully dissolve and can be used to soften skin. (Photos by Ellen Bruce).

Middle: The Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb was modeled after the ruler of the pagan Feast of Fools and turns the water a deep red wine color as popping candy doubles as a symbol of the “festivities” starting.

Bottom: The Bewitched Bubble Bar turns water dark gray and creates mounds of bubbles. The sooner you crumble the bar under the running water, the more bubbles will fill your bath.

best of the rest Pink Pumpkin Bubble Bar Looking to shine on Halloween? Not only does this bubble bar have bergamot oil to soothe skin, there’s plenty of glitter to go around as well. Bubbles from bath bars fill up the tub fast so be careful to not stir the water too much while crumbling it into the tub.

pumpkin bath Bomb Don’t be scared by how this bath bomb looks! Full of Pimento Berry oil, vanilla and cinnamon, the Pumpkin Bath Bomb promises to smell just like a crisp fall night.

MONSTERS' BALL BATH BOMB While this bath bomb looked spectacular in the store, the colored water it left behind was not. Lush says the Monsters’ Ball creates “swirls of pink froth on top of deep blue-purple waters.” However, I was not pleased when I tried this one for myself and found it turned the bath water from a nice purple and pink, like a sunset, to an ugly ash gray.

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Life

STYLED

Oversized Blazers

THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

Oversized blazers may take on the look of an old dress-jacket in your dad’s closet. However, Free People has a blazer in neutral plaid that is made for a more feminine body type. The special thing about these jackets is their old fashioned look. These blazers have an older 90’s look that can be the staple in your new fall wardrobe this season. Other options are to hit a thrift store or raid your dad’s closet, roll up the sleeves and you have a new statement outfit for a very low price.

Senior Clara Simkins models an oversized blazer from Free People. You can find these at Urban Outfitters or thrift stores. (Photos by Madi Allen).

This issue shows the incoming fall fashion trends for the colder weather.

BY SARA ROONEY & Gia Shipman

Velvet ankle boots Velvet ankle-high booties are great shoes to wear with a simple top or sweater and your favorite jeans. They are available in a variety of colors, from black and gray to blue and maroon. Ankle boots also come in different textures like suede, velvet or leather. These blue velvet booties would look great with black jeans and a black t-shirt or oversized sweater.

Ankle high boots are an up and coming trend. You can buy these boots at Target or DSW.

THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

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Two-tone Denim A recurring theme the past few seasons is embellished denim, but this fall, two-tone denim is making a new statement. As seen on Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez and many other celebrities, these jeans can be styled with a simple black top as well as with a leather jacket to carry in fall weather.

Two-tone denim can be paired with any simple, cute top this fall season. These can be found at PacSun and Nordstrom.

"All these pieces are trendy and fashion forward with a unique look.”

-Clara Simkins

Corset shirt The corset shirt is the perfect flattering top to accentuate the small waist. This shirt is the updated version of a plain t-shirt. It is an affordable style for your fall wardrobe. Throw on a corset top with your favorite burgundy lipstick for the perfect simple, yet bold statement.

Senior Clara Simkins models a corset shirt.

You can get these tops at Forever 21 or Urban Outfitters.

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

OPINION What in Environmental Conservation?

Opinion piece submitted by Julia Chamberlain

A

s our air and water become more and more polluted and the ozone layer grows thinner and thinner, little is done to combat it, especially at school.

In the ‘60s or ‘70s, you would have called someone like me who cares about the environment a treehugging hippie, but now, with our environment in peril, you would call me a realist.

I’m not blaming the administration and I very much respect what they do, but we should pause to consider the measures we could take to try and combat pressing environmental problems. If these issues were publicized, perhaps through announcements, maybe more would

be done about it. Educators have made strides to inform us about the world around us, but we need more.

I have seen so much food at our school thrown away, but that food could be used for something more beneficial, like composting.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s website, Pearl City High School in Hawaii took unconsumed food waste from the cafeteria from 2014-2015, which was used in compost sites all over the community. Approximately 35,000 pounds of food from the cafeteria at PCHS was composted over the year which lead to a 97.5 percent rate of wasted food being used for good. This is something we can easily

accomplish at our school, and the benefits are more than just a reduced amount of waste.

Composting food can also save money on waste services, as seen at Middlebury College in Vermont. The college saved more than $100,000 in 2011 by not having to pay landfill fees because they recycled and composted their wasted food.

If we don’t act, nothing will get better. Kids will learn we could have stopped or even diminished the effects of climate change but didn’t, for whatever reasons those may be. If you care about the earth or someone who lives on it, we need to make a difference, and it can start right here at our school.

MUsic review: Miley Cyrus’ “younger now’ and kesha’s “rainbowland”

BY Gia shipman

I

n “Rainbowland” by Kesha, there is a distinct range between each of her songs, from an upbeat pop feel to a feisty rock and roll rebel girl to inspirational and delicate.

In “Boogie Feet,” her voice takes a more auto-tuned route with a grunge impression and a strong electric guitar presence. My personal favorite song of the album is “Praying.” This song takes on a different sound from the others with the slow and beautiful piano chords highlighting Kesha’s voice belting out powerful lyrics on forgiveness and her new outlook on life. It gives me hope to have the positive perspective Kesha sings about in the song when going through difficult situations. Dolly Parton has a feature in Kesha’s song “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to Us),” and provides an unfamiliar

country vibe to Kesha’s music.

Miley Cyrus’s new album, “Younger Now,” also includes a feature song with Dolly Parton, “Rainbowland.”

Her new album takes me back to Cyrus’s teenage-self, with older twangy country music, yet with a modern feel. Hearing an impression of the old Cyrus days is nostalgic for me, considering Hannah Montana songs were my childhood. Each song expresses intense emotions, whether they might be anger, disappointment, loneliness or love. According to Apple Music, Cyrus’s most popular song from the album is “Malibu.”

This is a soothing and relaxing song that builds up emotions through the entirety of the song. This is definitely my favorite song to sing along to in my car, it makes me want to stand next to the ocean under the blue sky,

as Cyrus says herself. “Younger Now,” the next most popular song, talks about the acceptance of change with an upbeat tone.

These two albums represent more than just a group of tracks, but a new image for Kesha and Cyrus. Both of these empowered women show a complete turnaround from their past.

Overall, I was very impressed with both albums and their new music styles. However, I would recommend Cyrus’s “Younger Now” over Kesha’s “Rainbowland.” The lyrics from the former Disney star are much easier to catch on to, I prefer Cyrus’s voice over Kesha’s and the mood her music creates allows me to feel empathetic toward her situation.

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

Swartz on sports: Stop pretending college sports are squeaky clean

BY GABE SWARTZ

W

hen you look long enough, you realize certain things in life aren’t as advertised. It’s taken me 17 years of life to realize college sports aren’t exactly what they’re advertised to be.

It seems everyone wants to think college athletics- and bigtime, money-making college sports like NCAA Division 1 football and basketball- are just squeaky clean businesses run by university chancellors and presidents who are just in it for the good of the common student-athlete.

That’s just not true.

College athletics aren’t, and haven’t been, an infraction-free business for decades. A lot of this delusional, fantasy world perception of college sports people have is built on nostalgia. When it comes down to it, people would rather convince themselves nothing is going on, than admit everyone is doing something.

Seemingly every year a new line of breaking news from college sports comes across the bottom line of the ESPN ticker, the most recent being the University of Louisville and

shoe executives at Adidas allegedly conspired to pay a star recruit $100,000 to attend U of L. This isn’t new. What usually comes after these revelations is the coach saying they were “unaware” of any such violations, or better yet “shocked” by the allegations.

Obviously, under the current rules set forth by the NCAA, now former Louisville head coach Rick Pitino violated the rules for recruiting. That doesn’t mean the rules, as currently confounded, are right.

No one in college recruiting is clean. The university wants the player who has the potential to generate large amounts of revenue for the school. The coaches realize how small the elite talent pool is, and recognize that said elite talent will determine their income. The shoe companies want to funnel recruits to a school to build a relationship with them in hopes of signing them to a mega apparel deal when they enter the NBA. And the players aren’t shy to negotiate their playing services for a cash payment.

It dumbfounds me that we live in

an America where the only activity on which capitalism is restricted is that of 18-22 year-old college athletes and their ability to get paid for being good at a game. A game that, if all goes right, will likely net the university to which the athlete ends up signing a boatload of cash, like Louisville got when they signed their new $160 million contract extension in August.

This isn’t considered corruption or a federal offense, investigated by the FBI, if the NCAA didn’t have such an enormous love for villainizing players for taking money for something they are good at, in an effort to preserve the “sanctity” of the game. The ignorance to believe no one is going to cheat, or institutions will go out of their way to report other schools infractions, as NCAA President Mark Emmert would like, is blissfully stupid. So, NCAA, instead of hoping that people follow your dumb rules, eliminate this unnecessary, yet prominent black-market in college sports. Instead of waiting for another scandal, let’s reevaluate the idea of compensating college athletes.

Cartoon by Eden Kurr

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

STAFF EDITORIAL It starts with stugo StuGo recently dealt with the ongoing complaints about students not being allowed to wear hats in school. It got the new rule approved by the administration, under which students can wear schoolappropriate hats in all classrooms unless otherwise designated by the teacher as a hat-free zone.

The student body president, senior Ben Murdock, said when looking at the process of discussing the policy with administration, StuGo wanted a collaboration between the student body and the leaders of our school.

Murdock said changing the hat policy started with a student petition, which

brought the issue to the attention of the executive board. Once this occurred, StuGo was able to discuss the issue with the administration in order to make a change.

“Our goal is to be the bridge between the student body and the administration and district office and everybody up from there,” Murdock said.

“It’s more of ‘Let’s work together so that everybody’s happy.’”

StuGo stepped up to the plate, and voiced our concerns, as the bridge between us and the administration.

We shouldn’t view them as just the “dance planning people,” because in reality, their roles are much bigger and more impactful for the entire student

body. The change in the hat policy will benefit students who feel they can now fully express themselves, which in turn, makes our school a more open and inclusive place.

But we shouldn’t stop at just changing this one policy.

Working to fix this conflict shows we can improve things we’re passionate about, whether that be in our own school or in the rest of the world, where we face a heated political climate. By working with StuGo on fixing more issues we care about, we can make more change for our school. With the change in this one policy, imagine what we could do to change the community around us.

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THE EXPRESS • issue 2 • October 2017

In this issue word search

Word Bank

Lush OATC Denim Fear BLAZER CHOIR BUBBLES CONDUCT Fantasy League Missing Repair

Running WINNING SPIRIT YELL

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About us

WRITERS

Ellie Druten Carter Fitzsimmons Jaelen Matthews Olivia Dowell Ethan Knauth Jack Plank Dan Edmonds Paige Fulenwider Walker Johnson

Gabe Swartz

PRINT EDITOR

Lauren Fischer

ONLINE EDITOR Ryan Jones

DESIGN EDITOR Kaitlyn Noon

PHOTOGRAPHERS

The Express is the official high school news publication of Blue Valley Northwest High School, an open forum distributed to all students seven times a year. This is the October issue of Volume 25. Subscription rates are $10.

The Express is printed by The Sedalia Democrat, 700 South Massachusetts, Sedalia Mo. 65301.

MANAGING EDITOR

Disclaimer

OPINION & ETHICS EDITOR ASSISTANT ADVISER

This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees disclaim any responsibility for the content of this student publication; it is not an expression of School District Policy. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content of this student publication.

Madi Allen Ellen Bruce Kanishka Mehra Gavin Mullin TJ Vore

Eden Kurr

SPORTS EDITOR Ben Brown

Anna Levine

Kimberly Hillstock

COPYEDITOR-AT-LARGE

ADVISER

Gia Shipman

Jim McCrossen

A & E EDITOR

Sara Rooney

ONLINE COPYEDITOR Anna Cowden

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